Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Raid
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Do-yoon stepped out onto the street and headed straight into the first smithy that caught his eye.
“Welcome...”
Before the blacksmith could finish his greeting, Do-yoon pulled five gold coins from his pocket and set them on the table.
“...!”
“Do you have anything that can withstand sword aura?”
Startled by the gold coins thrust before him, the blacksmith quickly assessed the situation and changed his expression.
Someone casually flashing gold like this, looking for something unusual—no doubt the young heir of some noble house learning swordsmanship, or a high-ranking apostle from a guild.
The blacksmith bowed at the waist as he replied.
“If you commission a sword that can channel sword aura, we can have it ready in no time...”
“I need it right now.”
“S-Sorry. We don’t keep such precious items in stock. The security around here isn’t great, so there’s always the risk of theft...”
“Got it.”
Do-yoon cut him off, pocketed the gold, and left.
‘I had some hopes since it’s a commercial hub for hunting monsters...’
As expected, a sword that could endure sword aura wasn’t something you could just find lying around.
With no other choice, he headed straight for the city wall bordering the demon realm.
The two guards flanking the gate were, just like before, leaning their spears against the wall and slacking off.
As Do-yoon approached them, the guards eyed him suspiciously, wondering what he wanted.
“I need to see whoever’s in charge here. Right now.”
“What?”
“Haa...”
They figured they’d drawn another nutcase.
‘Damn it, shift change is just around the corner...’
The pair grabbed the spears they’d leaned against the wall. Covered head to toe in monster blood, their ragged appearance screamed low-rent mercenary or hunter.
Just as the guards raised their spears to threaten him away—
“Whoa, hey!”
Something shiny flew toward their faces.
They reflexively snatched it out of the air and peered at what landed in their palms.
“Wha—what?”
It was a gold coin.
“I’ve got urgent business, so I’d appreciate it.”
“Th-This...”
“Grab a drink on me after your shift.”
Momentarily stunned into silence, they swiftly pocketed the coins. Then they hid their spears behind their backs and bowed obsequiously to Do-yoon.
“Oh dear, we didn’t realize we were dealing with such an esteemed guest...! Thank you kindly, sir!”
“Heh heh! I’ll fetch the top man on site right away. Just wait one moment, please!”
One ran off to summon their superior, while the other stayed put, flattering Do-yoon with nonstop sycophancy. Do-yoon half-ignored it as he waited for the boss.
‘No time to waste...’
The presence he sensed from the north was rapidly heading south. In a few minutes, they’d arrive.
Yet the city remained utterly peaceful. The scouts had all been wiped out, so no word of the enemy had reached them.
‘Reinforcements will be late.’
At this rate, he couldn’t count on backup joining the fray. With auras like that, the city would fall long before any aid arrived.
But there was one thing Do-yoon didn’t know: Muspelheim’s hidden strength.
Requests for reinforcements had already gone out to nations bordering Rok Enmaier. Not from Rok Enmaier, but from Muspelheim itself.
Enmaier’s patrols had been annihilated, leaving only neighboring Muspelheim to detect the enemy advance through long-range observation.
Do-yoon gazed north, lost in thought.
‘The enemy’s small in number. But that presence... it might escalate into a full-scale invasion.’
Normally, he’d pull back. It wasn’t time for him to step onto the battlefield yet.
For Do-yoon right now, growth mattered far more than racking up kills or merits.
But the force approaching wasn’t some rabble of common monsters.
He could feel it. The ferocious auras beyond the wall.
Auras utterly unlike ordinary monsters—ones he’d slain to utter boredom a century ago.
‘Demons...’
Coming over the wall was the legion of the commander ‘Satan’.
Of course, Satan himself wasn’t here. What approached now was just a fraction of Satan’s forces.
Still, their presence was overwhelmingly potent for their numbers. Do-yoon had to confirm why, right here and now.
If the enemy had evolved as much as the alliance had over the past century, he needed to adapt accordingly.
As he pondered intently—
“Ah, there he comes!”
The guard who’d run off returned, escorting someone.
‘Squire knight, huh.’
He dressed like a knight, but his aura was lackluster. Probably an apprentice learning under a real knight.
As Do-yoon guessed, he wasn’t the usual site manager. His knight had stepped out, leaving the squire to loaf in the barracks.
“Y-Yes... I’m in charge here, you said you wanted to see me...?”
He scanned Do-yoon from head to toe.
‘...What the hell? They said some big shot, but he’s just a mercenary?’
Too splattered with monster blood to pass for nobility, and no armor to suggest a guild apostle.
The guards hadn’t mentioned the gold—just that a VIP wanted him. No way they’d risk losing it to this guy.
Naturally, the squire eyed Do-yoon with the same disdain as the guards had at first.
“...What’s this about?”
He asked Do-yoon suspiciously.
“The enemy’s about to raid us.”
“Pardon?”
“Close the gates and prepare for a siege.”
“...Pardon?”
Now he openly scowled, raising his voice in disbelief. He shot a glare at the guards who’d brought him.
Even they, who’d taken Do-yoon’s gold, hadn’t expected this nonsense. They sweated bullets, avoiding the squire’s gaze.
“Haa...”
The squire pressed a hand to his forehead, radiating irritation as he spoke.
“...Hey. Do you even know where you are?”
“The alliance’s forward—”
“Human, the forward line’s Muspelheim. This is a hunting ground. A hunting ground. Where we yank teeth from beast cubs, skin ‘em, butcher the meat, and sell it. Not a war zone.”
Do-yoon stared at him silently.
“Haa... Fuck, I’m swamped as it is... Hey, you two.”
“Yes, sir!”
The guards snapped to attention, bellowing their response.
“You’re dead meat when my break ends...”
“Enemy raid!!!”
The guards, squire, and other stationed troops all jumped in shock, staring up at the watchtower atop the wall.
Dong—dong—dong—
“Enemy raid!! Enemy raid!!!”
True to his position, the squire didn’t freeze up entirely. He barked orders amid the panic.
“Shut the gates! Battle stations!”
Then he turned to Do-yoon with a baffled look.
“You—how did you...?”
“Let’s head up to the wall first.”
“Uh? Oh, right...”
Still flustered, the squire followed Do-yoon up to the ramparts.
A soldier approached and reported.
“Enemies approaching fast from this direction, sir.”
“Numbers?”
“Uh... well...”
“Speak up. You must’ve spotted their approach. Haven’t pinned it down yet?”
“No, sir. We haven’t sighted them ourselves. The royals just relayed Muspelheim’s scout report via emergency channel.”
“What? Why’d it come through them? What the hell were we doing while Muspelheim figured it out?”
The soldier faltered at the squire’s words. Does this squire even know our city’s situation?
“W-We do run patrols, but in cases like this, ours are presumed wiped out...”
“What? Wiped out? Hoo... Later for that. Go on.”
“Y-Yes, sir... Enemy numbers aren’t confirmed yet. Reinforcements have been requested from neighbors. Most demanded enemy intel before mobilizing, but Muspelheim and Skeletonia’s Guild World Tree dispatched elite units immediately...”
“World Tree? That’s Skeletonia’s number one guild, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Heh... They must have some serious backing then. Wild. Wait—did you say no intel on enemy size? Am I hearing this right?”
“Exact numbers unobserved, but the report estimates fewer than fifty...”
“Eighteen.”
Both turned to Do-yoon.
“Pardon?”
“Total of eighteen enemies.”
The squire stared at Do-yoon wordlessly for a moment, while the soldier shot him a questioning look.
The squire asked Do-yoon.
“...How do you know that? Who the hell are you anyway? Some guild apostle?”
His eyes still didn’t fully trust Do-yoon.
“Which guild are you with?”
The squire and soldier both looked at Do-yoon.